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Old 03-03-2011, 01:27 PM
 
3 posts, read 17,395 times
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I've been looking at a few places in Oregon that offer great DH mountain biking. I think living near Blackrock would be best. I like smaller towns between 6,000-25,000 people, has a health food store, and is realtively warm.
I'm also looking for an active community.
I've been researching Dallas, Silverton, McMinnville, and Corvallis. Which has the lowest crime rate, a sense of community, is not conservative, and has the most sunshine?
Any ideas or opinions would be great. Or other areas with fantastic DH biking ( drops, technical terrain, rocky, and a way to shuttle).
Thanks
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Old 03-03-2011, 02:21 PM
 
Location: State of Jefferson coast
963 posts, read 3,021,814 times
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Best three would probably be:

1. Bend (by a wide margin -- it's perhaps one of the tops in the country)
2. Ashland
3. Corvallis (Blackrock is a fairly short drive from Corvallis and Corvallis has some DH attractions of its own, including the North Ridge Trail of Marys Peak)

Bend is a little bit sunnier than Ashland, and Ashland is a little bit sunnier and hotter in summer than the places in the Willamette Valley that you mentioned. But Bend is colder than Ashland in winter and Ashland is a little colder than the Willamette Valley in winter. Differences in sunshine within the Willamette Valley are negligible.

Grants Pass is going to be too conservative for you, but you should check out the Cathedral Hills trail system if you end up in southern Oregon. It has some of the kind of technical challenges you're looking for, though not much in the way of bridges, ramps and jumps.
http://www.rveta.org/assets/PDF/Cath...ail_System.pdf
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Old 03-03-2011, 03:08 PM
 
3 posts, read 17,395 times
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Bend is too populated for me at 80,000. Seems like a fun place to visit though. What's your opinion on Silverton and Dallas?
Thanks for the link, I'll check it out. My bike is over 40lbs, so lots of uphill riding is not ideal.
Thanks
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Old 03-03-2011, 07:12 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
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There are small communities around Bend, you don't need to live IN Bend.
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Old 03-03-2011, 09:36 PM
 
Location: State of Jefferson coast
963 posts, read 3,021,814 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earthdragon23 View Post
My bike is over 40lbs, so lots of uphill riding is not ideal.
Thanks
Another member of the "Steel is Real" fraternity, eh?
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Old 03-03-2011, 10:43 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,494 posts, read 40,194,371 times
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Dallas and McMinnville are conservative small towns, IMO. Silverton or Corvallis is what you are looking for. Corvallis is close to 50,000 people and Silverton is around 10,000.

They all have low crime rates by my standards and they all have equally less sunshine. This is the Willamette valley
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Old 03-04-2011, 02:17 AM
 
3 posts, read 17,395 times
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Good to know about Dallas and McMinnville. Thanks for everyones help. And Brenda-by- the-sea, I don't think a fraternity fits me, maybe more of a sorority. I am a chick after all, and not that I haven't pedaled my tank of a bike uphill, I just prefer the thrill of going down rocks and over jumps. Keeps me on my toes. .
I have a pretty good idea of places now. I'll be visiting in May to get a better feel for the different areas.
Thanks
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Old 03-07-2011, 11:29 AM
 
Location: Dallas, Oregon & Sunsites Arizona
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Dallas is not liberal, but almost anyplace in Oregon has good offroad biking. Even Portland. Try the trails in the rose garden.
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Old 03-07-2011, 04:23 PM
 
Location: State of Jefferson coast
963 posts, read 3,021,814 times
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I agree that Oregon is full of good off-road biking (even where no one else does it). Downhill, though, is a specialized variant that requires painstakingly planned courses. It's something that I don't have the courage to do (something about broken bones that I find disconcerting). What makes a geographic area good for downhill is the presence of other downhillers. For that reason, college towns tend to be favorable prospects.
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Old 03-07-2011, 06:43 PM
 
Location: the Beaver State
6,464 posts, read 13,384,064 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Pickering View Post
Dallas is not liberal, but almost anyplace in Oregon has good offroad biking. Even Portland. Try the trails in the rose garden.
For the record, there are no Trails in the Rose Garden other then paved family friendly walking paths. There are some illegal mountain bike trails in Washington Park (which the Rose Garden is in,) and next door Forest Park, but riding them and getting caught has a serious fine, this is even worse because there are some (very short) trail segments and old roads that are open to Mountain Bikes.

There is a bike group trying to change that, but the illegal trails have really screwed them.

The closest place to Portland for Mountain Biking, is out Highway 30 about five miles South of Scappoose. There is a small turn off just across the road from the Marina. It's private land, but the owners allow Mountain Biking as long as it does not become a hassle.

I do not know of any downhill specific courses in Oregon, but I don't see why there wouldn't be any.
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